We already knew Jane Laich was totally awesome, but today came another wrinkle. Brooks Laich, her handsome hockey playing son, revealed today that mom and dad named him after Baltimore legend Brooks Robinson. “Special honor for me to meet the man I was named after,” Laich said after taking a picture with The Human Vacuum Cleaner on Wednesday. “Absolute class act.”

Robinson, one of the most beloved sports figures in Maryland, won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his 23-year career with the Orioles. He was World Series MVP in 1970 and elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

The news came as a big surprise to me, as Laich has made it perfectly clear that everyone in his family are huge Toronto Blue Jays fans. But there are clues that his family may have loved a team on the side: the Baltimore frigging Orioles. When Laich was asked by a fan who his favorite athlete was in a recent online Q/A, he responded, “I was a big fan of Cal Ripken, Jr. I have so much respect for a man that consistent!” He then bragged about his autographed memorabilia from The Iron Man.

Being named after a legend can be a challenge, but Laich does the name proud — just as my future son Zhenya will do.

Hopefully, the Orioles, who retweeted Laich’s neat bit of news today, know the next logical step in their budding relationship with the Capitals forward: getting Brooksie to throw out the first pitch. Ovechkin’s heave last season was fun, but I can tell you for a fact that Orioles fans would much rather see a Brooks throw the ball around the diamond again. Those were good times.

Special honor for me to meet the man I was named after, @orioles HOF 3rd baseman Brooks Robinson, absolute class act twitter.com/brookslaich/st…

— Brooks Laich (@brookslaich) April 10, 2013